San Antonio at SXSW - Part 1

Ernest Gonzales – MAR 17Educator. Activist. Producer. I could go on but Ernest Gonzales, aka Mexican’s With Guns, needs no introduction for our readers. Ernest will be performing on a bill that includes LA beat wizard Daedelus, Free The Robots, Divinci and more. Ernest was partly responsible for Daedelus’s performance last year here in San Antonio at the Arneson River Theatre (read a review of the show & brief interview with Daedelus [here]). I've had Free The Robots on repeat since they released this lineup.

Calico Club & Rivers Want – MAR 17These two bands are couple of my favorite local groups right now. They’ve got that infectious danceable package that’s both fun to watch and a good listen. Calico Club consists of Daecos Omoxi and Kimberly Cardenas, who also work on solo projects and host an event at HiTones called Electronic Exhibition, a monthly spotlight on electronic artists from San Antonio and across the region. READ MORE ABOUT ELECTRONIC EXHIBIT HERE.

KRTU 91.7, Nextbop & The Art of Cool - MAR 18In it's third year, Jazz For The Masses will once again be bringing a refreshing lineup to EL SAPO's on the immediate east side of Austin. Located on Manor Rd, El Sapo is biking distance from UT and surrounded by a gentrified neighborhood full of all the things you need when you escape the cluster of downtown. I say the show is refreshing because the environment is laid back and not the elitist, cooler-than-you-are crowds full of wristband-clad hipsters. Last year, Nextbop editor and KRTU DJ, Anthony Dean Harris, brought BADBADNOTGOOD along with a few other groups whose talents are so absolutely maddening, it's hard to wrap your head around, I'm serious. Go to this.

"Another dumb bio about another dumb indie band from some dumb un-rock & roll place between other dumb places like Dallas and Albuquerque? Hardly. Heres why: The Rich Hands Jealous Guy is the pop-stickiest 177 seconds youll likely ever hear. No shit. Ill be the first rock critic on earth to call it single of the year. I dont even care if it never gets released as an actual single. It should be. So shut the fuck up. The song rivals the brilliant Babysitter by the Ramones, a heart-busted ditty recorded years before any of these Rich Hands dudes were born. If thats not enough, the final word on Jealous Guy lands purposely and beautifully on a sour note: I-I-I-I-I-I-I am a jealous guy). Get it? Now thats a classic-in-the-making, kids. And then theres Sugar and Stranger and oh, Christ, each of the 11 songs on Dreamers, the bands brand-new debut LP, could be a damn single. Each is crammed with sugar-punk riffs and gloriously scrappy Brill Building nods (including wah-oohs!), pop-delicious melodies and lead vocals that sound like a young John Lennon (yes, young John Lennon). Themes canvas teen-spirit innocence..."

Beautiful Lou – MAR 18San Antonio has dropped the ball on Beautiful Lou and other hip-hop artists in town like Paul Fisher and Western Tink. Beautiful Lou has had more national exposure than he’s had here in San Antonio producing for Lil B and being named a Top Album of 2013 by Spin Magazine. I feel he’s well known in the hip-hop circles throughout San Antonio only. I believe it is an example/symptom of SA’s mainstream transitioning away from a rockist mindset.

Third Root is a hip-hop group that consists of Charles Peters (Easy Lee), Marco Cervantes (MexStep), and DJ Chicken George. In their music they conceptualize AfroLatin@ identity, Black and Brown solidarity, and Third World consciousness.Their recordings include "Stand For Something" (2012), "Mind Elevation Mixtape" (2013), and their latest "Revolutionary Theme Music"(2014) with San Antonio producer/MC/singer Greg G.

Worldwide first gained infamy in the Texas hip-hop scene touring and recording with San Antonio rap group 3rd Degree. In February 2012 he participated in a Red Bull sponsored tour of Texas featuring up-and-coming artists from the state such as A.Dd+ and Kydd Jones. Worldwide opened for the Official XXL Freshmen Showcase for SXSW 2012, the StubHub Live Showcase with Big KRIT for SXSW 2013, was a performing artist for A3C 2012 & 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia and also performed at the Boiler Room Houston RapLife Showcase. He toured nationally alongside Rittz in 2012, then toured nationally with Doughbeezy & Killa Kyleon in 2013. He released two projects in 2012, "As the World Turns" and "Ga$ Money." In 2014, Worldwide performed at the Optimo Radio Official SXSW Showcase (coheadlining with Houston rap legends such as E.S.G. and K-Rino) and coheadlined the Pushermania Texas Showcase at Austin's Weird City Festival with Doughbeezy, A.Dd+ & the LOEGz. He is currently planning to release his new album, "Castles Made of Sand," in 2015.

Nina Diaz – MAR 21South by San Jose with Surfer Blood, Gang of Four, Merchandise, The Ting Tings, David Garza, and more. It’s easy to love Nina Diaz, her voice is amazing and she’s relentlessly creative. Nina Diaz has another solo record almost ready for release. I suspect she may preview some of the new material at her Southby appearances. Read more about Nina in my interview with her at The Rivard Report: [here]

Sonora is a producer known for his Latin/global music mixes. Hailing from San Antonio, TX he began working with Orion Garcia of the Austin TX based Peligrosa Collective in 2010. Since then, he's found ways to bring disparate musical genres together in his remixes for artists such as Zuzuka Poderosa, Los Rakas, Chingo Bling, Diplo, Ana Tijoux and Lana Del Rey. In January 2015, Orion Garcia launched the record label "Discos Peligrosa" with the help of Sonora leading as A&R. Currently Sonora is prepping his debut EP (title tba) under Discos Peligrosa set to release in spring 2015. For more info visit the official Sonora website http://www.sonora.us

In December of 2007, Question became the first hip hop artist from San Antonio, Texas to sign a recording contract with a major record label. Question spent most of 2008 living between San Antonio, Los Angeles, and New York City recording over 150 songs for his debut album produced by the likes of David Banner, Green Lantern, Hi-Tek, Nottz, Just Blaze, Denaun Porter, Mr. Lee, StreetRunner, Hit Boy, DanjaHandz, and more, and also began ghost writing for a few notable acts. During this process he was featured on The Empire and Lil Wayne’s “The Drought is Over 2” on a song called “World Of Fantasy” that elevated his growing buzz exponentially in the mixtape underground and even got him featured in both The Source and VIBE Magazine.

Miles Terracina

Miles Terracina: -chief lyricist and beat programmer of the electronic
music group Mixed Use Media. -Founded the blog & character persona
PunkSoda. -Creator of Sobre Sound -writes about music -likes barbacoa